


Lay Down My Weapons

by sparklingstone



Series: Run to You (fem!Steve 'verse) [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: (because Phil's alive and Director but not on the Bus), Bucky edition, Bucky is recovering, Domestic Avengers, F/M, Female Steve Rogers, Mostly Fluff, Multi, Not Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Compliant, POV Bucky Barnes, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, abuse of parentheses, because apparently that's how I write Bucky?, breakfast with the Avengers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-04
Updated: 2014-07-04
Packaged: 2018-02-07 11:49:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1897887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparklingstone/pseuds/sparklingstone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If he knows one thing about the old Bucky, it’s that he would have done anything, anything, to make sure Stevie was safe and happy. If he knows anything about himself now, it’s that he’d do the same. He may not be the same person, but Stevie was his constant. Only difference now is they both have what they had always wanted: each other.<br/>---<br/>Or, Bucky has breakfast with the Avengers and contemplates his new life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lay Down My Weapons

**Author's Note:**

> I never intended to write a sequel, but now I'm thinking that I want more in this verse. You don't necessarily have to read I Will Break Down the Gates of Heaven to read this, but it might make a lot more sense. 
> 
> This one is from Bucky's point of view, a few months down the line after he's moved into the Tower. Entirely self indulgent. Also unbetaed, so apologies for any mistakes. 
> 
> Title again from Run to You by Pentatonix.

When Bucky wakes from his usual nightmare, he feels a burst of panic in his chest, before he registers the arm around his waist and remembers that he is home. He opens his eyes and sees Stevie. Her face is mushed into the pillow, her blonde hair mussed and tangled, her mouth slightly open in sleep. She’s gorgeous. There is a small wrinkle between her eyebrows, as if she’s frowning. Without hesitation, Bucky leans over the few inches to press a small kiss there (and isn’t it amazing that he’s allowed to do that after so long and after everything?) and the frown eases immediately under his touch.

 

It’s still early, but Bucky knows he’s not going back to sleep after a nightmare. He never does. But it’s a rare occasion that his waking doesn’t also wake Stevie up, so he carefully extricates himself from her embrace (she’s half on top of him), and smiles when she flips onto her stomach to stretch out on the warm space he left behind on the bed.

 

It’s only been a few months since he moved in to the Tower, but he feels comfortable enough to head down to the communal floor in his pajamas and barefoot (for a while, he refused to leave Stevie’s quarters at all, and once he did, he was never off his guard). He didn’t even flinch or try to leave when he sees Bruce already occupying the kitchen, and gives himself a moment to feel proud of how far he’s come.

 

“Morning.”

 

Bruce doesn’t reply, just looks up from his StarkPad and gestures at the coffee maker with his spoon. Bruce doesn’t drink coffee himself, but he makes a pot whenever he’s the first awake (which is almost always). Bucky nods back at him in thanks, grabs a mug and prepares it the way he likes it (which is with a lot of cream and sugar. He used to like it black, Stevie tells him, but now he can’t stand the bitterness). Then he pours himself a bowl of cereal and sits at the island with Bruce.

 

He likes Bruce. He was one of the first members of the team (besides Stevie, of course) that he let his guard down around. Bruce is quiet, gentle, and doesn’t ever look at him with distrust or pity. He knows that he deserves the distrust from the other team members, but it still smarts a bit. It’s been a long time since he lashed out or flashed back.

 

(It was rough at first. His memory came back in patches, in flares often accompanied with blinding headaches. Sometimes he’d forget who he was, where he was, and wake up with his metal arm around someone’s throat. Back then, his only constant had been Stevie. She helped him remember, is still helping him remember. Most of the memories he regained are of her—though in many she was the little frail thing she was before she was Captain America. If he knows one thing about the old Bucky, it’s that he would have done anything, _anything_ , to make sure Stevie was safe and happy. If he knows anything about himself now, it’s that he’d do the same. He may not be the same person, but Stevie was his constant. Only difference now is they both have what they had always wanted: each other.)

 

“Nice shirt, James,” Natasha says, entering the kitchen and effectively ending his Stevie-induced reverie. Bucky looks down and realizes that he’s wearing a Captain America shirt that Stevie bought him as a joke (Bucky admits without pretense that it’s one of his favorite shirts).

 

“Thanks,” he says, with no hint of sarcasm.

 

Natasha’s the only one who calls him James, and it’s a bit strange, he knows, given their shared history (he still thinks of her as Natalia, sometimes, and his memories of her are pretty much the only good memories he has of being the Winter Soldier), and especially given his relationship with Stevie. But Bucky knows that she’s not interested in him, that she has _something_ with Clint and Agent Coulson. Bucky and Natasha may have shared history, but any romantic feelings there may have been are long passed. What remains is a deep understanding (he’s hesitant to say trust because he’s not sure he trusts anyone other than Stevie yet, but it’s close) and an interesting friendship. She nudges his shoulder as she sits down with her own breakfast.

 

Tony, to their surprise, stumbles in next, already dressed, though he doesn’t look happy about it. “Shareholder’s meeting,” he mumbles at Bruce’s query, already downing a cup of coffee. He finishes one and pours himself another. He pulls out his own StarkPad and begins tapping furiously and talking to himself about mechanical things Bucky can’t hope to understand.

 

Bucky can guess that Tony wouldn’t have even bothered to go to the meeting if Pepper hadn’t insisted. He’s only met the woman a few times, but he had known right away that she wasn’t one to mess with. She reminds him quite a bit of Agent Carter. (Tony used to remind him of Howard, but it wasn’t long before he realized that not only were the two men very different, but that there was a lot of baggage there that he really didn’t want to delve into. And Tony had helped out with Bucky’s arm so he really doesn’t want to get on his bad side.)

 

Everyone’s beginning to settle down again after the slight frenzy Tony’s entrance brought when Clint and Coulson exit the elevator together. It’s common knowledge that the two agents/assassins and the newly appointed Director of SHIELD live on the same floor and it’s also common knowledge that their relationship is none of anyone’s business. Nevertheless, they both lean down and kiss Natasha good morning, and she bestows them with a rare smile.

 

Clint, as the best cook in the house, begins making enormous stacks of pancakes (the typical Saturday morning Avengers fare). What with the whole team leading an active lifestyle (plus Stevie and Thor, who each appear to have bottomless stomachs), meals are always made in huge quantities. When a plate is put in front of him, Bucky begins to pick at the food, listening to the idle chatter around him.

 

Tony and Bruce are now both engrossed with the same StarkPad, apparently examining the plans for a new project.

 

Natasha has perched herself on top of the counter, her plate in one hand, listening (much like he is) to the chatter around her, though she seems much more focused on the argument that Clint and Phil are having, apparently about recruiting new agents, which Bucky couldn’t care less about, to be honest.

 

(It’s ridiculously, sickeningly domestic, is what it is. And Bucky loves every second of it.)

 

The elevator dings again and Thor, Sam, and Stevie are preceded by the Norse God’s booming laughter. Sam is laughing too, and the look on Stevie’s face is familiar—it’s the one she wears whenever she is trying not to laugh at her own joke. Her hair is wet, clearly just out of the shower, and she wears no makeup, and even though she is clearly healthy and strong Bucky thinks she almost looks like she did in the 30’s, were it not for the jeans.

 

Stevie comes up to hug him from behind, and presses a kiss his cheek. “Morning, Buck.”  Bucky absolutely does not melt back into her (he totally does). “Missed you this morning.”

 

Her wet hair tickles the back of his neck, and he can’t help but to turn around on his stool for a proper (though still fairly chaste) kiss. He’s never ever going to get tired of this, of Stevie.

 

“Love you,” Stevie murmurs when she pulls away. Bucky’s brain short circuits for a second, because he’s still not used to those words, after so long, and meaning something so different to when she used to say it to him in the 30s. Overwhelmed, he tucks his face into the curve of her neck and shoulder.

 

“Love you too,” he mouths against the skin there. He’s considering kissing her again, despite the audience, but at that moment Tony starts loudly complaining about PDA in his kitchen. Bucky looks up in time to see Stevie flip him off, and he grins. Smiles are easier now.

 

“Dude,” Sam’s eyebrows are raised. “What about the time Stevie and I walked in on you and Pepper? Follow your own damn rules.”

 

Tony begins to argue that that particular incident doesn’t count (“but this is _my_ house; I can do what I want!” “You invited us to live here, Tony,” says Natasha. “Get used to it.”)

 

Eventually, they all traipse out to their respective duties, until its just Stevie and Bucky left in the kitchen and a pile of dirty dishes in the sink (Tony’s bots will deal with them. It’s fun to watch). Bucky relaxes a bit. He likes the team a lot, but there’s a part of him that still won’t let his guard completely down around anyone but Stevie.

 

Stevie, who is looking at him with a fond and knowing look in her eye. “You okay?” she asks him, grabbing his hand.

 

“Definitely okay,” he replies, and kisses her. Her mouth opens immediately against his. She tastes like maple syrup and coffee, and Bucky wonders if he will ever stop feeling awed that this is his, that this is his life, that the girl he’s loved for forever loves him too and is sticking with him even though he doesn’t see how he can deserve it. (Because even when he couldn’t remember his own name, or hers, he knew that he was missing something important, some _one_ important. And even when he had barely any of his memories back, he had known he loved her.) Stevie fists a hand in his Captain America shirt to pull him closer. He comes willingly, lips still against hers. 

 

She pulls away after a minute and Bucky makes a little noise in protest. When he opens his eyes, Stevie is right there, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief and love and not a little lust too. “It’s just us in the Tower today,” she points out.

 

“So we are,” Bucky smirks. “Got anything in mind to do?”

 

Stevie’s answering grin turns a bit wicked. “I can think of a few things, can’t you?” God, but he loved this woman.

 

“Hell yeah. Lead the way, Captain.”

 

She raises an eyebrow. “Who says we’re going anywhere, Sergeant?” Before Bucky can say anything else, Stevie is kissing him again, and he finds that whatever he had been going to say wasn’t that important after all.

 


End file.
